Your AA state champion? Central

Dennis Brunson • November 14, 2025

 

 

By Dennis Brunson

          hssr.com Associate Editor

 

           Sumter – Trying to figure out who the best football team is in the South Carolina High School League’s AA classification has not been an easy task. Records have been distorted with teams like defending state champion Clinton and defending runner-up Fairfield Central playing up in non-region games and taking losses. Then you have tough regions like Region 2 with Strom Thurmond, Batesburg-Leesville and Saluda locking up in epic battles.

 

           Then there is Region 4. It has the team with the best record among the contenders in Central with a 9-1 record after the first round of the state playoffs. However the Eagles didn’t even wn the region title. They lost to Andrew Jackson, which is the region champion.

 

They could meet again – for the state championship – since Region 4 is a hybrid region. AJ is in the upper state bracket and Central is in the lower state bracket. Another region team, Cheraw, is still alive in the lower state bracket.

 

So you know how we figure all of this out, right? By letting the playoffs play out.

 

With one week in the books, let’s try to figure out who will be playing for the state title on Saturday, December 6, at South Carolina State’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg beginning at 4 p.m.

 

Here we go starting with the upper state second round:

Saluda at Clinton

Fairfield Central at Andrew Jackson

Batesburg-Leesville at Chester

Liberty at Strom Thurmond

 

           These are all teams that have been consequential in AA in the last few years. You have four region champions in Region 1 Clinton, Region 2 Strom Thurmond, Region 3 Chester and Region 4 Andrew Jackson. There are three second-place teams in Fairfield Central, B-L and Liberty.

 

           Saluda finished third but it lost to both Thurmond and B-L in overtime and dropped a 1-point decision to Ninety Six. While the Tigers will put up a strong fight, Clinton shoul come away victorious with running back Javen Cook leadin the way.

 

           Fairfield Central is 8-3, while AJ is 7-4 with one of thosef losses coming to the Griffins by a 35-0 count. The Volunteers won’t be able to make up enough of that gap.

 

           Batesburg-Leesville has rebounded from a slow start and is 8-3. Chester started the season 1-3 but has won six of its last seven to go to 7-4. Running back Amadre Wooden and wide receiver KD Whitt should provde enough plays to give B-L a victory.

 

           Strom Thurmond is 9-2 and Liberty is 8-3. Playing in Region 2 should be enough to push the Rebels past Liberty.

 

           The quarterfinal games are:

Fairfield Central at Clinton

Batesburg-Leesville at Strom Thurmond

 

           Fairfield and Clinton will meet again in the playoffs only one round earlier. The Red Devils will win again because of their overpowering running game.

 

           Thurmond and B-L faced off in their region opener with the Rebels coming away with a 28-26 overtime triumph. They took Region 2 with an undefeated record, but it will come to an end with a Panthers victory.

 

The upper state title game will be:

Batesburg-Leesville at Clinton

 

           This could be a very quick game as both teams love the running game and rightfully so. Two of the best running backs in the state will play in B-L’s Wooden, the school’s all-time leading rusher, and Clinton’s Cook. They will be toting the rock on a regular basis.

 

           Somehow, some way, the Panthers are going to come out victorious and advance to the title game.

 

           The four second-round games in the lower state are:

Cheraw at Hampton County

Timberland at Manning

East Clarendon at Central

Atlantic Collegiate at Philip Simmons

 

           These are four games that are intriguing as well but in a different fashion. Save Central – which again, didn’t win its region – each has had something to overcome.

 

           After losing three straighr games, including its first two Region 4 contests to Central and AJ, Cheraw is on a 4-game winning streak and is 7-4. Hampton had a 3-game losing streak of its own but has reeled off five straight wins to claim the Region 6 title. The losses all came to solid to strong teams in higher classes though, and the Hurricanes should be victorious.

 

           Manning, which played for the lower state title last year, started 0-2 and lost its Region 7 opener. However, the Monarchs won the rest of their region contests and are on a 6-game winning streak. Timberland is 9-2 but finished second in Region 6 after losing to Philip Simmons 22-0. This will be a slugfest between two teams who methodically run the ball and play tough defense. Manning will be victorious.

 

           East Clarendon is 9-2 but finished third in Region 7 with losses to Atlantic Collegiate and Lake City. Central is 9-1 with the lone loss coming to AJ by a 21-20 count. With the exception of a 34-27 win over Cheraw, all of the Eagles’ wins have come in blowout fashion. They will pick up their 10th win.

 

           Atlantic Collegiate, in just its second year of football, has had something of a magical run in the second half of the season. The Armada lost its first five games, albeit against a murderous non-region schedule. However, ACA went 4-2 in Region 7 to finish second and opened with a home win over Woodland. Philip Simmons is on a 9-game winning streak after losing its first two. The Iron Horses will ground the Armada’s season.

 

           That means the quarterfinal games are:

           Hampton County at Manning

           Central at Philip Simmons

 

           Hampton County will have too much offensive firepower for the Monarchs. Central will have to make the almost 3-hour drive from Pageland to Charleston, but the trip back will be a little shorter after a victory.

 

                       The lower state title game will have:

           Central at Hampton County

 

           Central will make an almost identical trip to Varnville to take on the Hurricanes the following week. Again, the Eagles will be celebrating on the return ride home.

 

           And your state title game will be:

           Batesburg-Leesville vs. Central

 

           These are two historically strong programs where their hometowns generally shut down on Friday nights. The Eagles, led by the likes of Dwayne Louallen Jr., Ashten Wilson, Marques Allen and Taveon Moore, will be too hard for the Panthers to handle.

 

           Central will be a state champion for the first time since 2010.

   

   

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

First Round

Friday

Upper State

Clinton 56, North Central 7

Saluda 33, Mid-Carolina 13

Andrew Jackson 34, Ninety Six 16

Fairfield Central 50, Chesnee 21

Chester 50, Blacksburg 6

Batesburg-Leesville 42, Eau Claire 0

Strom Thurmond 49, Chesterfield 0

Liberty 35, Pelion 14


Lower State

Hampton County 56, Lake City 22

Cheraw 17, Andrews 7

Manning 48, Academic Magnet 7

Timberland 46, Barnwell 8

Central 56, Kingstree 6

East Clarendon 14, Lake Marion 0

Philip Simmons 57, Whale Branch 12

Atlantic Collegiate 14, Woodland 0


Second Round

November 14

Upper State

Saluda at Clinton

Andrew Jackson at Fairfield Central

Batesburg-Leesville at Chester

Liberty at Strom Thurmond


Lower State

Cheraw at Hampton County

Timberland at Manning

East Clarendon at Central

Atlantic Collegiate at Philip Simmons

 

SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final

By Staff Reports • December 22, 2025
SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final Columbia, SC (12-19-25) -- The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) has finalized the classification placement of all schools beginning with the 2026-27 school year. This classification placement will be in effect for two years. The guidelines established by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee served as the blueprint for schools’ placements. Schools were assigned based on their enrollment count, to include district additions and the 3.0 multiplier. Flexibility, as approved by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee, was also used with consideration given to geographics and travel. “Appreciation is expressed to those who served on the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee,” said Dr. Jerome Singleton, Commissioner of the SCHSL. “Classification placement of schools is the initial phase of the process. The next step for the League staff is to place the schools into regions in their respective classifications.” The SCHSL’s Executive Committee will meet January 13-14, 2026, to hear appeals regarding the classification placements. The final reclassifications are attached.

Stratford’s Davis Leads South Carolina to 17-7 Win in 89th Shrine Bowl

By David Shelton • December 21, 2025
By David Shelton Senior Writer Spartanburg – Stratford quarterback Jachin Davis threw a pair of touchdown passes and South Carolina defeated North Carolina, 17-7, in the 89 th Shrine Bowl all-star game in Spartanburg on December 20. Davis , named the offensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers, completed 10 of 15 passes for 184 yards in the game. He is headed to Liberty University as an early enrollee. “Great experience and great to get a win,” Davis said. “Playing with all of these great players was something I will never forget.” South Carolina dominated the game defensively, allowing only 136 total yards. The Tarheels completed just five of 19 passes. Stratford running back Maliq McGowan , a late addition to the roster, finished as the leading rusher for South Carolina with 42 yards on nine carries. West Ashley’s Bristol Biegenzahn played on the defensive front for the Sandlappers while Berkeley’s Zion Britt started on the offensive line. Cross safety, and South Carolina signee Caden Ramsey , Berkeley linebacker Gehad Sneed , and Timberland offensive lineman Desmond Green, who is headed to Florida, also played for the Sandlappers. “You win all-star games with defense and our defense was outstanding,” said SC head coach Paul Sutherland , who retired as the head coach at Liberty High after the season. “Glad to get the win for South Carolina. The kids were great. I am very blessed to have had this opportunity.” It took less than 10 seconds for the Sandlappers to score the game’s first touchdown as Davis combined with Dillon receiver Zay Robertson , heading to North Carolina , on an 80-yard bomb on the first play of the game for a quick 7-0 lead. Robertson finished the game with four catches for 131 yards. “He’s a great player,” said Davis of Robertson. “Getting that first touchdown was a tone setter.” South Carolina lost fumbles on their next two possessions, the second miscue leading to North Carolina’s game-tying touchdown after a 23-yard drive. Spartanburg’s Will Love , heading to Virginia Tech , kicked a 35-yard field goal late in the second quarter for a 10-7 halftime lead for the Sandlappers. South Carolina’s last play offensive snap in the game was Davis’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Jude Hall of Christ Church with :59 seconds left on the game clock. Chester linebacker Terry Rayford , who had 11 tackles, was the defensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers. Dorman's Kentavion Anderson and Ridge View's Jordan Best recorded interceptions The win gives South Carolina a 48-34 lead in the series. There have been seven ties.

SCHSL releases proposed reclassification for 2026-27, '27-28 school years

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • December 20, 2025
Proposal has AAAAA going from 54 schools to 40 and not being split into divisions

OCA Wins Third Consecutive State Title with 28-7 Win Over BHP

By David Shelton • December 19, 2025
Oceanside senior WR, Terence Johnson, a Shrine Bowl all-star game selection, had 57 catches for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns plus 9 rushing touchdowns this season.

Panthers aim to remain a contender

By Roger Lee • December 19, 2025
Running back Grayson Salego is one of several starters who should return to the Panthers’ football team next season. Photo by Roger Lee. 

Timberland girls basketball team off to torrid start

By Rob Gantt • December 19, 2025
Timberland's Zion Prioleau, named on of Class AA's top seniors by the SC Basketball Coaches Association, averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.8 steals per game in 2024-20225.

Wilson Hall senior class 32-7 last 3 years

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Sumter – The Wilson Hall football team played in its third straight SCISA AAA state championship game in November. And for the third straight year, the Barons came out on the short end of the stick. WH lost to Pinewood Prep for the second consecutive year, falling by a score of 55-13. That being said, Wilson Hall head coach Adam Jarecki could only praise his team, especially the 17-man senior class. “This group of seniors graduates with three trips to the state championship and not many people can say that,” Jarecki said of the Class of 2026, which went 32-7 over that 3-year stretch. “I’m extremely proud of them. They’re our leaders at the school. They’re the influential people at our school. We’d love to see them go out with success in the end, but what they accomplished is pretty special, and they’ve got to take pride in that. “They had a great year (finishing with an 11-2 record for the second straight year) and they’ve had a great career. It’s tough not to come out on top, but they know what it takes to get here and they bought into it.” Six of those seniors were among the eight Barons named to the All-Region 2-AAA team. Leading the way was quarterback Ford Wilder , who was selected as the Region Offensive Player of the Year. Wilder completed 41 of 79 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 483 yards and 12 TDs on 87 carries. Senior running backs Ben McLaurin and Milling Galloway were selected. McLaurin rushed for 1,234 yars and 16 scores on 121 carries. Galloway rushed for 585 yards and 11 touchdowns 62 carries despite missing three games and the majority of a fourth due to injury. The other senior All-Region picks were free safety Harris Naylor and defensive linemen Walker Wilson and Andrew Howle . Naylor had 35 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and three pass deflections. Wilson had 39 tackles, seven TFLs, two quarterback sacks and one PD. Howle had 28 tackles, a team high nine TFLs and two sacks. The other two All-Region selections were junior defensive lineman Reese Wilson and junior linebacker Peyton Gilley . Reese Wilson shared the team lead in sacks with four to go with 21 tackles, eight TFLs, one PD and one fumble recovery. Gilley had a team high 61 tackles and shared the team lead in interceptions with three, returning one for a touchdown, to go with three sacks and six TFLs. Along with being All-Region picks, each of the eight were All-State selections and were chosen to play in the SCISA North-South All-Star Games.

Lee Academy basketball teams start slow

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
By Dennis Brunson Hssr.com Associate Editor Bishopville – Both the boys and girls basketball teams for Lee Academy got off to 1-3 starts, but neither of the head coaches are close to making a determination on what the season holds for their squads. “I am really excited about the team we have for this season,” said boys head coach Kemp DeWitt , who is in his second season at Lee. “We return four players that gave us crucial minutes last season. Brayden Davis , Cain June , Gavin Makela and Paxton Greene give me a solid base surrounded by the new faces we have this season. “We look to find our identity as a team before we head into Christmas break, so we can come out strong when region play starts.” Davis, a sophomore point guard, and June, a senior small forward, are the two returning starters. Davis was averaging 9.3 points per game, while June was scoring at a 9.0 clip. Makela is a junior center while Greene is a senior shooting guard. The other starter is junior power forward Aiden Fitzgerald . Greene was averaging 6.3 points, Fitzgerald 3.5 and Makela 1.6. Other members of the boys team are senior Collins Drayton , junior Cannon Hopkins , who was averaging 5.0, junior Tucker Rodgers , junior James Watson , junior Matthew Inabinet and junior Keegan Gainey . Girls head coach Kim Langston , a decades-long veteran of the SCISA wars, said she hadn’t seen enough of her team to form an opinion. The Lady Cavaliers are young with just one senior starter in Mazie Tomlinson . The other starters are junior Mallori Frye , sophomore Karagan Melton , freshman Kaisley Melton and eighth-grader Beth Whiteside . Karagan Melton was the leading scorer with a 9.5 average to go with 3.8 rebounds. Tomlinson was averaging 6.3 points, 3.3 steals, 4.3 assists and 9.5 boards, Whiteside was at 5.0 points, 1.0 blocked shots and 6.8 rebounds, Frye was averaging 2.0 points and 3.3 rebounds, and Kaisley Melton was averaging 2.3 steals, 2.3 points and 2.5 rebounds. The rest of the roster includes sophomore Emma Beasley , senior Sara Bell , senior Zana Brazell , senior Raylee Catoe and junior Addie Grace Wilkes . 4 CAVALIERS FOOTBALL ALL REGION The Lee football team had four players selected to the All-Region 1-Class A team. The selections were wide receiver/linebacker Cain June, senior quarterback/defensive back Andrew Bowers , senior offensive lineman/defensive lineman Hampton Layton and senior linebacker/running back Tucker Boyce .

Andrews Girls Looking for Best Season Yet

By Neill Kirkpatrick • December 18, 2025
By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Goose Creek – The Andrews Yellowjackets girls basketball team has had a tough time since head coach Tevin Wallace took over the program three years ago as they have managed to win just four games in that time but it was also a time that coach Wallace was getting a young team to play hard every time out on the court no matter the score. The lumps they have taken are starting to show the growth of the team as these young ladies have gotten older and stronger as well as the understanding of what coach Wallace expects of them. It has translated into a 4-3 start to the season and expectations “Our growth has been huge. Being thrown into varsity competition so early forced them to learn quickly, and now you can see the difference in their confidence, their decision-making, and their toughness. They understand the speed of the game, they communicate better, and they’re starting to take ownership as leaders,” said coach Wallce. “The physical development has been noticeable too—stronger, faster, and more comfortable under pressure.” Coach continued, “This year, I expect us to take a major step forward. We’ve spent the last two seasons rebuilding, and now the experience is finally catching up with the talent. My expectation is that we compete every night, play with discipline, and show the maturity we’ve been developing. I believe this group is ready to turn the corner and establish a new standard for our program.” The Yellowjackets top three returning players have plenty of varsity playing experience despite all being under classmen in juniors Chole Skipper and Camaria Gibson and sophomore Makayla Singleton . Gibson currently leads the team in scoring at 15.7 ppg. And in steals with 10 on the year. She is a very versatile player who handles the ball, can defend and impacts the game in several ways. Singleton is second in scoring on the team at 11.1/ppg. Coach Wallace says she improved in her ability to score and defend. She has become a steady presence on both ends of the court. One of the team’s top three-point shooter has been Skipper. She brings leadership and consistency to the team. She is averaging 7.9ppg. Joining the Yellowjackets top three players are several other players who have started during the year in seniors Ariel Holloway, Jade Wallace and Miracle Myers , junior forward Christin Cooley and eighth grader Nyla Brown. Wallace is the teams top rebounder at 4.3 a game. Rounding out the Yellowjackets roster are junior Christin Cooley and freshman Elisa Dunmore. Coach said this about his teams playoff chances this year, “Absolutely. I believe this is the year we put ourselves back in that conversation. We’ve taken our growing pains, but now the experience and chemistry are in place. If we stay healthy and continue to buy in defensively, we can compete for a playoff spot and surprise some people along the way.”

LADY PATRIOTS READY FOR ANOTHER TITLE RUN

By Gerald Doolittle • December 18, 2025
Wardlaw Academy senior Taylor Hill during the 2025 championship game.
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